Shareece Wright walking with purpose

Former NFL Cornerback • Keynote Speaker • HS Football Coach

SHAREECE WRIGHT

The man who bet on himself when nobody else would.

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01 — His Story

From Colton to the NFL.
From the NFL to Purpose.

Shareece Wright grew up in Colton, California. He earned a scholarship to USC and was selected in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers.

Over eight seasons he suited up for four teams — the Chargers, Ravens, Bills, and Texans — and was signed by two others. 79 games. 255 tackles. 36 passes defensed. But his greatest play happened off the field.

The $632 Uber Ride

After signing a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills in 2017, Shareece was flying from California to his first voluntary OTA practice. His connecting flight out of Chicago O'Hare was cancelled late Sunday night — and he had to be on the field by 7 AM Monday.

Renting a car wasn't an option — he needed sleep. He called a former teammate in Chicago. No luck. So he opened the Uber app and requested a ride to Buffalo, New York. A driver named Hadi Abdollahian accepted. He thought he was driving to Buffalo Wild Wings. When Shareece explained it was Buffalo, New York — eight hours away — Hadi didn't hesitate: "Sir, I'll take you anywhere you want to go. This is my job."

During the nine-hour overnight drive, the two talked for hours. Hadi was an Iranian refugee who had fled after watching his father get killed. He had no family in the U.S., was putting himself through school at Loyola, and dreamed of becoming an astronaut. Shareece arrived at 1 Bills Drive at 6:58 AM — two minutes before practice.

The fare: $632.08. Shareece added a $300 cash tip. His agent Tam tweeted about it, Shareece posted the receipt, and it went viral. ESPN, NFL Network, CNN, the Washington Post — everyone picked it up. Bills sponsor Bluerock Energy sent a check to cover the ride. Shareece forwarded it to Hadi.

Shareece Wright — portrait
ESPN Outside the Lines — February 2024

The Courage to Speak

Shareece came forward publicly as one of 12 former Colton High players to file a lawsuit over alleged childhood sexual abuse by a school athletic trainer. He gave a national television interview on ESPN's Outside the Lines — voluntarily disclosing his experience to create space for other survivors.

This act of courage repositioned him as not just an inspirational speaker, but a national advocate.

02 — Shareece Speaks

Keynotes That Move Rooms.

Shareece doesn't give speeches. He shares moments that change how people see their own lives.

01

The $632 Mindset

Resilience, relentless execution, and betting on yourself when the odds say no.

02

One Pill Can Change Everything

The fentanyl epidemic through the lens of a son who lost his mother. Renee's story.

03

The Courage to Speak

Survivor advocacy, breaking silence, and creating space for others to heal.

04

From the Field to Purpose

The journey from NFL cornerback to mission-driven life. What happens after the last game.

Past Events & Engagements
NAHREP ESPN CA State Assembly City of Colton National SUD Conference Corporate Events
8 NFL Seasons
ESPN Featured
6 NFL Teams
RENEE Foundation Founder
Aquinas HS Football Coach

Speaking Fees

Schools & Nonprofits From $7,500
Universities From $8,500
Corporate & Conferences From $12,500
Virtual Keynotes Custom
03 — NFL Career

From USC to the NFL.
Four Teams. Six Contracts. One Relentless Drive.

79 Games
255 Tackles
36 Passes Defensed
2 Interceptions
College
2007 – 2010

USC Trojans

Four-year starter at cornerback. Earned third-round NFL Draft selection in 2011.

NFL  ·  4 Teams  ·  6 Contracts
2011 – 2014

San Diego Chargers

Drafted 3rd round, 98th overall. Started 32 games over four seasons.

2015

San Francisco 49ers

Signed but released five weeks into the season. Never played a game.

2015 – 2016

Baltimore Ravens

Signed shortly after San Francisco release.

2017

Buffalo Bills

Missed his connecting flight at O'Hare. Took a $632 Uber nine hours overnight to make a voluntary OTA. Arrived at 6:58 AM.

2018

Oakland Raiders

Signed but released after camp. Never made the roster.

2018

Houston Texans

Final NFL season. Signed after Raiders release.

Purpose
2019 – Present

Speaker · Coach · Advocate

Keynote speaker. Aquinas HS football coach. Founder, RENEE Foundation.

Shareece Wright — off the field, suited up

"The game gave me a platform.
Purpose gave me a voice."

04 — Giving Back

From the NFL to the Sideline.
Coach Wright.

Shareece coaches the varsity secondary at Aquinas High School in San Bernardino, CA — pouring NFL-level knowledge back into the next generation.

Building the Next Generation

Not many high school athletes get coached by someone who played at USC, was drafted in the third round, and spent eight seasons in the NFL. Shareece brings all of that to the sideline at Aquinas — the technique, the film study, the mental toughness, the understanding of what it actually takes to play at the next level.

But it goes deeper than X's and O's. He connects these kids with resources, mentors, and opportunities they wouldn't otherwise have access to. He opens doors. He makes calls. He shows up.

For Shareece, coaching is the most direct way to take everything the game gave him and pour it back into the community that shaped him.

Why He Coaches

Everything the Game Gave Him, He Gives Back

Seven years in the NFL taught Shareece more than how to play cornerback. It taught him how to prepare, how to compete under pressure, how to recover from failure, and how to carry yourself as a professional. That knowledge doesn't expire when you retire.

At Aquinas, he's not just teaching coverage techniques — he's giving these kids a window into a world most of them have never seen. What a college visit looks like. How to talk to a recruiter. What the daily discipline of a professional athlete actually requires. The resources, the connections, the blueprint.

Shareece grew up in the Inland Empire. He knows what it means to come from a community where the path to the next level isn't obvious. He's living proof that it exists — and now he's standing on the sideline making sure the next kid from San Bernardino can see it too.

"The game gave me everything. The least I can do is make sure these young men get the same knowledge, the same resources, and the same belief in themselves that somebody once gave me."
— Shareece Wright
05 — Community & Character

Never Forget Where You Come From.

Shareece didn't wait for retirement to give back. He's been pouring into his community since his first NFL paycheck.

Free FUNdamentals Camp

Colton High School • Every Summer Since 2016

Every summer, Shareece returns to Colton High School — the same field where he once dreamed of the NFL — and hosts a free football camp for kids ages 8 to 14. No registration fees. No equipment costs. Every kid walks away with a #20 jersey shirt, lunch, drinks, and something money can't buy: time with a real NFL player who looks like them and came from where they came from.

In 2017, the camp drew roughly 250 kids. Shareece co-hosted it with Nat Berhe, a fellow Colton High alum and New York Giants safety, expanding the age range so more kids could attend. The camp is funded in part by USA Football and NFL Foundation grants — but the hours of one-on-one coaching and mentorship are all Shareece.

When a kid couldn't find a ride to camp one year, Shareece paid for an Uber out of his own pocket to get that child there. That's the kind of detail that never makes the highlight reel — but it tells you everything about who he is.

"As a kid, my major problems were being able to afford camps, playing football, and buying cleats and all the other football gear. That's just kind of what motivates me to want to do it — I want to give them something I never had the opportunity to have."
— Shareece Wright

Beyond the Field

Breast Cancer Awareness

While with the Ravens, Shareece created his own Breast Cancer Awareness initiative — donating game tickets and game-worn gloves to survivors and their families.

NFLPA Holiday Giving

Thanksgiving 2016: Shareece served 350 men at Helping Up Mission, a homeless shelter in Baltimore, as part of the NFLPA's holiday giving program.

Junior Diabetes Foundation

Ongoing supporter of the Junior Diabetes Foundation, using his platform to raise awareness and funds for research and family support programs.

Colton Sports Hall of Fame

Inducted into the Colton Sports Hall of Fame in Spring 2018 — recognized not just for his NFL career, but for his ongoing commitment to the youth of the Inland Empire.

What People Say About Shareece

"Humble, down to Earth person, who is always willing to help people."

— Will Wright, close friend

"We asked them to never forget where they come from and they haven't. I'm really proud of what they do."

— Harold Strauss, former coach

"Berhe and Wright aspire to provide more professional athletic resources to Inland youth in order to produce more college and professional athletes."

— Milka Amanios, spokeswoman
"The best advice I can give those other athletes is to never give up. You lose the battle when you give up on the dream that you're chasing. If you keep running, eventually you'll get there."
— Shareece Wright
Fun Fact

Before football, Shareece was a track star at Colton High — clocking a 10.9-second 100-meter dash. That speed followed him all the way to the NFL.

06 — Pursue Mentorship Initiative

Every Young Person Deserves
Someone in Their Corner.

Pursue is Shareece Wright's youth mentorship initiative — built to give kids from the Inland Empire what he never had growing up: access, guidance, and someone who believes in them.

The Mission

Pursue is not a sports program. It's a life program that uses the discipline of sport as a starting point. The initiative serves youth ages 12–17 across the Inland Empire — athletes, artists, future doctors, entrepreneurs — anyone with the desire to grow.

Through 12-week cohort cycles, trained mentors guide small groups of young people through a curriculum built around the pillars that shaped Shareece's own journey: mindset, financial literacy, emotional resilience, career exploration, and leadership.

Shareece opens and closes every cohort personally. His story — from Colton to USC to the NFL to purpose — is woven into every week of the program.

"As a kid, my major problems were being able to afford camps, playing football, and buying cleats. That's what motivates me — I want to give them something I never had the opportunity to have."
— Shareece Wright

The 7 Pillars

01

Mindset & Character

Resilience, grit, decision-making under pressure. The $632 ride — betting on yourself when nobody else will.

02

Life Skills & Emotional Intelligence

Communication, boundaries, healthy relationships. Navigating life, not just the field.

03

Academic Support & College Readiness

Study skills, GPA goals, NCAA eligibility, FAFSA. Opening every door.

04

Financial Literacy

Budgeting, credit, saving, entrepreneurship. Building wealth, not just income.

05

Mental Health & Wellbeing

Processing trauma, seeking help, self-care. Whole-person development starts here.

06

Career Exploration & Leadership

Networking, public speaking, resume building. Life after the game has infinite paths.

07

Athletic Development

Discipline, coachability, transferable skills. Sport as a platform, not a destination.

How It Works

01

Apply

Youth and parents complete a short application. We screen for commitment and fit — not perfection. Every background is welcome.

02

Join a Cohort

12-week program. Weekly 90-minute sessions with a trained mentor. Small groups of 12–15 youth. Shareece leads the opening and closing sessions.

03

Grow & Lead

Graduate with new skills, real connections, and a plan. Top graduates can apply to become Pursue Ambassadors — peer mentors for the next class.

12 Week Program
7 Life Pillars
2 Cohorts / Year
IE Inland Empire

Pursue launches its first cohort in 2026. Applications opening soon for youth ages 12–17 in the Inland Empire.

Apply Now Become a Mentor

For partnership inquiries, sponsorship, or to get involved: pursue@shareece.ai

07 — RENEE Foundation

In Loving Memory of
Lavette Renea Butts

The RENEE Foundation is named after Shareece's mother — Lavette Renea Butts. A single parent who raised six children — four boys and two girls — while battling Lupus. She was their everything.

Renee died from a fentanyl overdose caused by a counterfeit pill. One pill took the woman who held an entire family together.

The six large butterflies in our logo represent her six children — still flying because of the wings she gave them. The seven smaller butterflies beneath them represent her seven grandchildren, continuing her legacy into the next generation.

Lavette Renea Butts with her six children and first grandchild

Lavette Renea Butts with her six children & first grandchild

Mission Pillars

Fentanyl Awareness

Education programs in schools and communities about the fentanyl epidemic and counterfeit pills.

Addiction & Recovery

Resources and advocacy supporting families affected by substance use disorder.

RENEE Scholarships

Financial support for students from single-parent households. First class: 10 recipients, $2,500 each.

Single Parent Support

Programs honoring and empowering single-parent families — because one parent can be everything.

Lupus Research & Awareness

Renee battled Lupus for years with unshakable strength. The foundation supports Lupus research, education, and families living with autoimmune disease.

RENEE Foundation scholarship recipient graduating

First Scholarship Class — 2026-2027
10 recipients × $2,500 = $25,000

09 — Ventures & Vision

Beyond the Field,
Beyond the Stage.

Shareece Wright isn't just telling his story — he's investing in the future. From mentoring youth to backing cutting-edge film, his vision extends far beyond football.

Film Investment 2026

As Deep as the Grave

The first feature film to bring a deceased actor back to the screen entirely through artificial intelligence.

Val Kilmer — the legendary actor behind Iceman, Doc Holliday, and Jim Morrison — passed away in April 2025 from pneumonia. He never shot a single scene for this film. Yet through groundbreaking AI technology, Kilmer delivers a full performance as Father Fintan, a Catholic priest and Native American spiritualist, in what has become the most-watched film trailer in recent memory — surpassing 5.5 million views.

Directed by Coerte Voorhees and produced by First Line Films, the cast includes Tom Felton, Abigail Breslin, Wes Studi, and Abigail Lawrie. Mercedes Kilmer — Val's daughter — gave her full blessing. The production is SAG-compliant, and the Kilmer estate is fully compensated.

Shareece is an investor in this production — a move that reflects who he is beyond football and speaking. He sees the intersection of technology and storytelling as the next frontier, and he's putting his money where his vision is.

As covered by
AP News NBC News Variety Mashable TODAY Fox
First Line Films presents AS DEEP AS
THE GRAVE Starring Val Kilmer · Tom Felton · Abigail Breslin · Wes Studi
AI-Generated Performance

"I've always been someone who bets on the future. This film is at the intersection of everything I believe in — honoring legacy, embracing technology, and telling stories that matter."

— Shareece Wright, Investor
10 — Contact

Book Shareece.

For speaking inquiries, media requests, partnership proposals, or foundation questions.

Speaking & Booking booking@shareece.ai
RENEE Foundation foundation@shareece.ai
Media & Press press@shareece.ai
General hello@shareece.ai